Randall Woodfin’s ambitious plan for Birmingham: a look at promises kept and works in progress

During his campaign for mayor Randall Woodfin made a bevy of promises to the people of Birmingham to revitalize the city and help restore trust in local government. Many of the promises he said he would accomplish within his first 100 days in office.

Surpassing 100 days in office last month, MayorWoodfin commemorated his first 100 days in office by presenting The Woodfin Way, his 2018 mayoral transition report, during an event at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham, Ala.

As part of our efforts to hold state leaders accountable, Alabama Today decided to look back on Woodfin’s specific 100 days campaign promises and see where he is on accomplishing them. We allowed his office the opportunity to respond to the outstanding commitments he has yet made and have included additional accomplishments.

Investing in Birmingham’s Transportation Infrastructure

Within my first 100 days, I would commission the Director of Planning and the City Traffic Engineer to identify priority streets, bridges and sidewalks for inclusion in a four-year capital improvement plan that will inform my Administration’s infrastructure investment priorities.

Done

Within the first 100 days, I would work with the City Council to adopt a Complete Streets Ordinance to guide all future road projects in Birmingham.

An Opportunity Agenda for Birmingham Residents and Businesses

Within my first 100 days, I would convene a Small Business Task Force of city agencies and Birmingham small businesses to develop a proposal that would automate all of the City processes to obtain licenses and permits, increase transparency in the permitting and procurement process, identify and repeal or reform any city regulations or processes that are unduly burdensome for Birmingham’s small businesses, and create a “one stop shop” for Birmingham’s small businesses that would offer free consultative sessions to small business owners on the City regulatory process.

Via the mayor’s office: The Small Business Task Force is scheduled to be launched in the coming weeks.

Revitalizing Our Neighborhoods

Within the first 100 days, I would work with each City Councilor to appoint 10-member revitalization boards to convene neighborhood hearings and identify neighborhood revitalization priorities for the next four years.

Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor has launched monthly town hall meetings in conjunction with each city councilor. In addition, on the matter of neighborhood revitalization, a reminder that once completed the BJCC expansion will generate an estimated $9.9 million each year in additional revenue. For the first time in Birmingham history those funds will be dedicated solely to helping revitalize our neighborhoods.

An Inclusive Birmingham for all Residents

Hire an LGBT liaison to serve on my executive staff within the first 100 days.

Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor announced his intention to establish The Office of Social Justice during The First 100. This office will include the LGBTQ liaison. The office and liaison will be announced in the coming weeks.

Restoring pride and trust in City Hall

Within the first 100 days, I would identify a City Council sponsor for an ordinance establishing a “participatory budgeting” pilot program where neighborhood leadership and Birmingham residents set the priorities for development projects in their neighborhoods.

Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor has publicly stated that he will launch the participatory budgeting pilot program in the next fiscal year due to the lack of time available in this fiscal year.

Within the first 100 days, I would meet with each City Council member to identify key shared district priorities between them and my office and commit to resolving these concerns during my first term.

Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor has met with each member of the Birmingham City Council to identify key shared priorities.

Within the first 100 days, I would assign interagency rapid response teams of city agencies to each City Council member that can quickly address city services issues in their districts.

Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor will announce the interagency rapid response team in May 2018.

Within the first 100 days, I would commission the City Chief Information Office to make my travel schedule and expenditures easily accessible and searchable on the City website.

Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor will announce a major transparency initiative in May 2018 which will include the travel schedule.

Within the first 100 days, I would eliminate the funding used for Mayor Bell’s security detail and reinvest the savings into the Division of Youth Services.

Half-way done. Woodfin downsized the detail by one officer, after promising to eliminate it.

Banning any relatives of the Mayor from working for the City in any role that could influence procurement decisions.

Via the mayor’s office: Work is pending to address this issue.

Within the first 100 days, I would work with the City Council to adopt a nepotism policy that would ban any of my close relatives from working for the City in any role that involved procurement decisions.

Via the mayor’s office: Work is pending to address this issue.

Other promises

Work with our state delegation to institute term limits so that no Mayor of Birmingham – including myself – can run for more than two consecutive four-year terms.

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